Something is chewing holes in my milkweed. I have looked at all the leaves and stems. I don't see anything. What could it be an how can I safely get rid of whatever this is....or is this normal.

I can send a pic if you need one.

HELP! I love my milkweed and we just started growing it. We had a butterfly on our flowers this morning and want to make sure we keep it healthy for all of the butterflies.

Do you know that monarch butterfly babies eat milkweed leaves? That's what's considered most special about milkweed. Butterflies can get nectar from many flowers.
Many milkweed growers consider holes in the leave s to be a very good thing.

So Sally G, this is OK? I don't need to do anything at all? Whew!!!

Thank you for responding.

Sally is right, if you're providing milkweed for monarch butterflies, it's so that the caterpillars can eat it (whether that's what's eating yours currently is an unknown though), and also deposit eggs on it. You may find this article interesting:

https://monarchjointventure.or...

baby monarch caterpillars start out VERY tiny and black. Almost can't see them. You might find one on the edge of one of the holes. Eggs are individual and very pale yellow-white and very tiny, one or two per leaf.
You'll be a very good butterfly helper if you take good care of the plants so they grow lots of leaves and don't be sad when they eat the leaves. Sometimes I find a few holes that do not look like caterpillar holes, but have never had a plant eaten to death by anything.

Sally - thank you so so much!!!

AND thank you Sooby as well and for the article as well!!!!!

My milkweed leaves are also showing big holes which are NOT from caterpillars, the sizes and contours are different.
Caterpillars will usually eat in a straight line, sometimes eating just half of a leaf lengthwise. This is different. Snails eat the leaves also but I cannot find any on these 2 plants. No idea what it is ???

Harrisfabian... those leaves look like normal slightly damaged milkweed leaves to me.The tiny babies can make little holes then move on. I've seen plenty of leaves like that and never found a culprit.
Beetles may feed at night and be gone in the day.
But I would worry too much. Try looking at night or early morning, if you can find something to pick off, fine, otherwise don't worry. I would never use any insecticide on milkweed, so if you can't hand pick, all you can do is ignore it.